YREKA – Siskiyou County’s former county counsel Tom Guarino has filed another tort claim against the county in his ongoing battle over his dismissal last year based on what the county has called a “personnel matter.”

This new claim, filed with the county clerk’s office last week, alleges that the county of Siskiyou has engaged in defamation of Guarino via a press release it issued on Feb. 20.

The press release was issued as a response to Guarino’s first tort claim filed on Jan. 30 in which he accuses the board of supervisors, county staff and several of the county’s legal representatives of more than 30 charges including breach of contract, violation of First Amendment rights, violation of civil rights, defamation, extortion, retaliation and violations of labor codes.

In addition to offering the county’s version of the events that led to Guarino’s dismissal, the press release states, “The allegations made against the county and various officials are based upon a combination of speculation, misrepresentation and fabrication.”

Guarino appeared before the board of supervisors at its March 5 meeting to offer his allegations in person during the public comment period, as he has done several time before.

In his comments, Guarino called the Feb. 20 press release “desperate and unprecedented,” saying he does not recall such a public response to a tort claim nor could he find previous record of such an action.

Regarding the content of the press release, he told the board, “The purposeful spin and intentional omission of what actually occurred can only be interpreted as an effort to place me in a false light and further harm my personal and professional reputation.”

He said the issuance and content of the release “is a commentary on the character of those issuing [it],” adding, “There has never been a legal finding of misconduct on my part.”

Guarino closed his comments by demanding that the release be publicly withdrawn and stated, “I look forward to the time when I place each one of you under oath for your deposition and we’ll find out just who’s fabricated what.”